Contbol fob tail-uohto



H. A. WILKINSON AND W. B. NIXDORF, In.

CONTROL FOR TAIL LIGHTS.

APPucAnou men ozc. I4. 1917.

1 ,3 1 3,847. Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

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H. A. WILKINSON AND W. B. NIXDORF, la.

CONTROL FOR TAIL LIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 14. m1.

1 ,3 1 3 ,847 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. WILKINSON AND WILLLLM NIXDOBF, JR, 0! ONEIDA, NEW YORK- con'rnoi. non Tun-menu's.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Howann A. WILKIN- SON and WILLIAM B. Nixnonr, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Oneida, in the county of Madison and State of New York, have invented new and useful 11nprovements in Controls for Tail-Lights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to controlling means for tail lamps of automobiles.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this character, wherein the rays of light from the tail lamp will be increased or intensified, when the machine, to which the lamp is attached, is moved in a rearward direction to thus serve as a warning to persons or vehicles to the rear of the machine ofthe path of travel to be taken by the machine.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which shall be of an extremely simple nature and which shall be automatically actuated by the operation of the gear shift lever when the latter is moved to reversingposition.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the invention is more fully understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawin in which,

Figure 1 is e si e elevation of a transmission case for automobiles, illustrating the apglication of the improvement thereon.

ig. 2 is a side elevation of the resistance element.

Figf 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 6.

Fi 5 is a view illustrating the manner in whic the bridging block is connected to the gear shift lever of the machine, the block being in section.

Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrat ng the block engaging the contact fingers of the resistance element and also illustrating the electric circuit.

. Figl 7 is a sectional view approximately on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

On the transmission casing 10, to the rear of the gear shifting lever 11, and, of course, the table top of the said casing 10, is arranged the, resistance element of my im- This resistance element comprises a pair of spaced uprights 12 res tively, the lower ends of which being o set and forming the same with feet 13, and suitable securing elements passed through? these feet a d the top of the casing 10- The memdoctor 27 and hers 12, at the upper or outer portions thereof, have secured therebetween, an insulated block 14, around which is wound a resistance coll 15. To the block 14 is also secured a pair of spring contact fingers 16, the outer ends of which being flared or rounded inwardly.

On the lever 11 is secured a bridging block 16, the said block being insulated from the lever by a collar or sleeve 17 of some suitable non-electric conducting material, the block itself being, of course, in the nature of an electric conductor. Preferably, the block comprises an inner member 18 having its outer end rounded as at 19 and its inner end concaved to receive the insulator member-17. The member 18 may be constructed of any desired material and to the sides thereof is secured spring arms 20 respectively which are conductors of electricity, the said arms being rounded inwardly toward each other around the sleeve or collar 17 and having their ends extended in parallelism, as indicated by the numerals 21, a securing element, preferably in the nature of a detachable element, connecting the said extension and as shown in the drawings, this connecting element comprises a bolt or screw 22 which is engaged by a nut 23, so that by the removal thereof, the arms may be spread away from each other and the block arranged around the lever 11.

The contact fingers, as well as the resistance coil 15 are in circuit with a battery 24 and a lamp 25, the said lamp comprising a tail lamp for the machine upon which the device ismstalled.

Normall the current flows "from the battery 24, t rough a conductor 26, thence through the resistance coil 15, a second conthrough the battery 25 and is returned through a conductor 28 to the batte 2A. The bridging block is not/design to be brought between the contact fingers. 16 until the lever 11 is swung to a posltion to operate the gears for reversm the car, upon which the device is arrange and when the lever is brought to this posi tion, as illustrated by the dotted..linesj in Fig. 1 of the drawings and by the full lines, in Fig. 6 of the drawings the block will be brought between the contact members, causing the current to travel from the battery, through the conductor 26, one of the contact fingers 16, through the block 165 returning through the second con,-

tact finger, conductor 27, lamp) 25, and through the conductor 28 to the attery 24, thus shunting the circuit through the resistance coil, and producin a direct current from the batter to the amp, and consequently, intensig ing the rays of the lamp.

From the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicit and advantages of the construction will, 1t is thought, be apparent without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

The herein described mechanism for controlling the tail lamp of an automobile, including in combination with the ear shift lever of the machine, 5 aced upr hts dissed adjacent to the ever, an msulated lock secured between the uprights, spring contact fingers on the block extending outwardly therefrom and having their free ends rounded inwardly, a resistance coil around the block between the fingers a lamp in electric circuit with the source 0 energy and with the fingers, a collar of insulating material on the lever, a bridging block having its outer end rounded and its inner end concaved, and said ooncaved end enga ing the insulated collar sprin side mem ers connected to the bridging b ock and extending beyond the rear ortion thereof and having inturned roun portions which engage with the collar and parallel extensions eyondthe round portions, and a binding element between the last mentioned portions for compressing the side members against the collar.

In testimony whereof we afli'x our signatures.

HOWARD A. WILKINSON. WILLIAM B. mxnonr, JR. 

